


Angeli Volant Quod Sunt Sine Cura

by MyMomIsAtFault



Category: Julie and The Phantoms (TV), Lucifer (TV)
Genre: And ghosts are by definition Not Alive, Canonical Character Death, Gen, I mean, JatP is about ghosts, Lucifer is Julie’s uncle, Mother-Daughter Relationship, Siblings, Uncle-Niece Relationship, nephilim!Julie, the time frame of Lucifer is set forward a few years
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-14
Updated: 2021-01-27
Packaged: 2021-03-10 02:41:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 6,112
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27757105
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MyMomIsAtFault/pseuds/MyMomIsAtFault
Summary: A Lucifer/JatP crossover for the reason that they both take place in LA. That, and Julie needs an adult who can help her with supernatural crap.
Relationships: Julie Molina & Julie Molina's Mother, Ray Molina/Rose
Comments: 57
Kudos: 96





	1. By Suffering

**Author's Note:**

> About the title: The title is Latin; it translates to “angels fly because they are carefree”, which was as close as I could get to “angels fly because they take themselves lightly”.
> 
> About the concept: Both shows are set in LA. Souls and deals are very much Lucifer’s thing, and Julie needs an adult who can help her with supernatural crap. Also, her being Lucifer’s niece and the daughter of an angel explains how she has the powers that helped her save the boys. Both of them have a deep love of music (both are singers and pianists) and a strong sense of justice. I also wanted Lucifer to have a family member who went out of their way to include him in their life; Rose seemed like a good fit. Still not sure how she also has a human sister, but I’ll figure it out eventually.
> 
> About the author: I am a sleep-deprived wreck of an alleged human being. Enjoy what my brain spits out at that weird stage of sleep deprivation where I can use the word “resolute” correctly in a sentence, but can’t figure out how to get bread into the toaster.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A little background into Julie and her mother and their relationships with Lucifer. For all that he finds children hilariously repellent (and Maze does, too, for that matter), they seem to latch onto him pretty quickly. Rose (Raziel) is in posession of the Sole Brain Cell in her angelic family and refuses to exclude her brother just because everyone else is doing it.
> 
> On a more serious note: TW for bullying and teenage girls being shitty. Some of what Julie mentions Carrie and her new friends saying is based on things I overheard some “friends” saying about me in middle school. I have actual friends now, so it doesn’t hurt nearly as much to write or talk about what happened then, but it shapes my outlook on life to this day - the hurt is forgivable, but even forgiving doesn’t give you your innocence back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter title from a Victor Hugo quote: “It is by suffering that human beings become angels.”

When Julie was a little girl, her mother had brought her to a very nice apartment in a “good” part of LA (where, though she was too young to know it, a lot of the upscale clubs and bars were located) and told her that she wanted to introduce Julie to a friend of hers. “More like a brother, really,” she’d amended, “he likes music, too, just like us. He plays the piano, and he has a beautiful voice. You should ask him if he’ll sing something for you.”

The man in question opened the door on the third round of knocking. He was naked except for the sheet around his waist, and he was so startled upon seeing Julie’s mamá that he managed to drop the sheet.

Julie, who by that point had a baby brother whose diapers she helped change, and who also had parents who still sometimes acted like newlyweds and a father who tended to forget things (such as locking the doors), was not impressed. As he snatched up his sheet and re-wrapped himself, she asked, “Why are you naked?”

” _Juliana_ ,” her mother hissed, but the man was already replying: “Because I sleep naked.”

Julie blinked. “Why? Don’t you get cold?”

The man turned to give her a slow once-over. Then he smiled like he’d spotted something shiny in a parking lot that he’d expected to be a quarter but was actually pirate treasure and answered, “I never get cold. And anyhow, that’s what blankets are for.”

”Yeah,” Julie pointed out, “but you’re _wearing_ your blanket. You might as well wear jammies.”

Turning to Julie’s mamá, the man opened his mouth, only to be interrupted by a brisk, “Pants first, Lucifer. _Now._ ”

”He’s the Angel of Light; right, Mamí?” Julie asked softly once the man had retreated to get his pants, standing on her tip-toes so she could better whisper the question in her mother’s ear.

Her mamá squeezed her hand. “That’s right, mija.”

Lucifer returned, fully dressed, and Julie gave him a considering look before grinning and declaring, “ _Tío Luci!_ ” and going for a big hug from her new friend/family member.

”Help,” Lucifer begged. Julie’s mamá just laughed at his confused and alarmed expression as he patted her daughter on the head. “Er, yes, yes, child. Off you go, there’s a good girl. What’s her name, then?”

Rose smiled fondly and replied, “Juliana, but we call her Julie. She’s eight; my son, Carlos, is a year and a half, but I decided not to bring him - I thought you and Julie would have more in common. She’s a singer and a piano player, just like you and me. Go on, Luci; show her something.” And, with a little more prodding from Julie’s mamá, he had.

Every week for nearly two years, Rose and Julie would go to Tío Luci’s on Sundays after church and spend the afternoon at the apartment. Then, one day, he was just... gone. Julie had cried for days.

”Ay, mija,” her mamá said softly, stroking Julie’s hair, “he’ll be back. Your Tío loves this place. He loves _us;_ I know it. But he had to go. He has responsibilities - ones even you and I can’t help with. I know it hurts. But please, mija, don’t be angry with him.”

”I’ll try,” Julie had mumbled sullenly.

*********************************

The next time she saw Tío Luci, it was at her mother’s funeral. He’d stood alone in the back, dressed in head-to-toe black, looking so horribly empty and sad that it was hard for her to stay mad at him.

Julie walked up to him after the funeral was over, while her papá and Carlos were elsewhere, and punched him in the chest before hugging him half to death and sobbing into his shirt.

”Why didn’t you come back?” she sniffled.

”Oh, Juliana,” her tío sighed, “I really wanted to. But I couldn’t - I was trapped. I’ve only just gotten out.”

”Prison?”

Her tío looked grave as he shook his head and corrected, “Hell.” And somewhere inside, Julie knew he meant it literally.

His arms hesitantly came up around her to return her hug. He smelled like cigarette smoke and alcohol and expensive suits and leather and polished wood, and a smell Julie could only describe as _light itself_. “You really were her brother, weren’t you?” she choked, “she- she was an angel, wasn’t she?”. She didn’t bother waiting for an answer. She knew the truth.

Her tío gave her an answer anyway. “Yes, my dear,” he told her.

Julie sniffled. “What was her name? Her real name?” Her uncle bent down and whispered the name in her ear. Even just knowing it somehow made her heart feel a little bit lighter. “Portador de luz,” she managed - it had always been one of Rose’s favorite nicknames for her brother, and it had become Julie’s way of telling her uncle she loved him.

A new voice chimed in, smoky and feminine: “Lucifer, are you almost done with your pleasantries? All the gloom is starting to _bore_ me.”

Julie turned and glared through her tears at the speaker, a leather-clad woman with dark tan skin much like her own. “She was his _sister._ My _mom_. I don’t care who you are and I don’t care _what_ you are; I’m only saying this once - _lay off_. Nobody’s making you stay! You’re free to leave if you want. But don’t you _dare_ try to drag my uncle, who I haven’t seen in almost _six years_ , away from his own sister’s funeral just because you’re _bored_ ,” she snapped.

The woman backed up a little too quickly for the motion to be interpreted as anything but nervous. “ _This_ is the nephilim?” she hissed, giving Tío Luci a sharp look.

He responded, unfazed, “One of them. This is Juliana; she’s... sixteen?”

”Fifteen. Sixteen this fall.”

”Fifteen, then. And in that case, your brother is... nine. Relax, Mazikeen, they’re Raziel’s children; it’s not as though she’s going to smite you.”

Julie blinked. “Wait... Mazikeen? Maze? This is your best friend?” she asked. Giving the demon an appraising look, she concluded, “I stand by what I said. Flynn would love her.”

Frowning, her tío wondered aloud, “What about your other friend, Katie?”

”Carrie,” Julie corrected, feeling her eyes start to burn with tears again, “and she’s... we’re not friends anymore.”

”Whyever not?”

Julie bit her lip. “Carrie has a band - Dirty Candy. And right about the time Mamá got sick, it started to take off. Suddenly, she was... super popular, and... it felt like we didn’t have anything in common anymore; she started ignoring me, talking about other kids behind their backs... I really didn’t like it but... I thought it might just be a phase, that maybe being so popular all of a sudden was hard for her, so I tried to keep being a friend to her, inviting her over and stuff. And then... it all got worse, with Mom, and I was in the bathroom one day because I needed someplace private to cry, and she and her new friends came in, and they didn’t know I was in there... and they kept saying such horrible stuff about me - how I was so needy and emotional, and she was better off without me, and how I should be more sensitive about talking about my mom around her because Carrie’s mom left all of a sudden a long time ago and then divorced her dad... and she- she _laughed_ , and she _agreed_ with them. But I kept thinking maybe, you know, it was just peer pressure or something. So... I asked her, later that week, when she was alone. If she really meant it.”

Julie gulped, trying to get the words out, managing at last: “She- she told me she meant _everything_. That we were never really friends, she was just nice to me because my mom was friends with her dad... and since my mom was dying... she didn’t have to pretend anymore. She said... she had... _real_ friends now... who were actually... talented... and not just... riding her coattails... and... dragging her down... with their negativity. She t-told me to g-get over myself. I didn’t- I didn’t tell _anyone_ , not even F-Flynn. It just... hurt too much, saying it out loud... because it makes it so much harder to believe that she didn’t mean it. And I really want to believe she didn’t mean it.” She knew she was sobbing by the end, but she couldn’t stop herself.

Her tío handed her a handkerchief and waited for her to get herself together. Then, after she had wiped her eyes and blown her nose, he surprised her by initiating an awkward one-armed squeeze.

”I seem to remember Amenadiel and Michael saying something similar just before they cast me out of Heaven,” he murmured, patting her back.

Maze actually _growled_ , pulling a couple of wicked-looking daggers out from under her black leather getup. (Julie didn’t want to think too closely about exactly _where_ the lady demon had weapons stashed on her person - or how many.) “Say the word, Lucifer, and I’ll bring the nephilim that little mortal backstabber’s heart on a platter,” she snarled.

Julie smiled tremulously and whispered, “Thanks, but I don’t think that would help. Also, Flynn already called dibs, if I ever change my mind. Like I said. I think you two would get along.”

She felt her uncle’s chest vibrate as he chuckled. He pulled back, cupping her chin and looking her in the eye. “You truly are your mother’s daughter. But you must know, my dear, that you have her abilities as well - someday, yours may even surpass hers. Your mother knew this. If anything happened to her, she wanted you to have someone to go to, someone who would be able to help you and your brother. I only hope that I - and perhaps Mazikeen as well - can be that for you. That you will let me.”

Julie scoffed and told him, “As if I’d turn down the chance to spend more time with you.”

”In that case, I will always be only a call or text away if you require my presence - or if, instead, you simply wish it,” her tío said solemnly.

She gave him a watery little smile. “I think I’ll take you up on that. What’s your number?”


	2. No Philosophy But Love

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Julie grieves, comforts her uncle, reinstates the tradition of Sunday visits, and meets Detective Chloe Decker.
> 
> Lucifer cares for his niece, witnesses a friend’s murder, makes a new friend (or two), gets shot, has High School Musical induced flashbacks, and displays a worrying lack of common sense.
> 
> Chloe is just confused as to why exactly Julie and Lucifer hang out together, even if they’re related.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All but a few of the movies Julie and Lucifer can agree on are ones that involve singing (he likes cheesy films with explosions, she prefers more depth), so they watch basically nothing but movie musicals and Disney films together. We watched a ton of those movies in my middle and high school choir classes, so it is my personal headcanon that Julie’s music class is subjected to them at least two or three times a year, and then Julie shares them with her uncle.
> 
> In *completely* unrelated news, guess who recently watched The Greatest Showman for the first time and absolutely loved it?
> 
> Title from a Terri Guillemets quote: “Angels have no philosophy but love.”

Julie ended up being very grateful for her uncle’s offer, especially in the first few months after her mother’s death. Lucifer was someone she didn’t risk driving away with her mood swings and outbursts of temper. He knew what it was like to want to be numb, to want to feel nothing at all if it would make the pain go away even for a while. He wasn’t too shattered to confide in, like her father and brother were, and he _understood_ , unlike everyone else in her life. Flynn was a wonderful friend who stuck with Julie through it all - but she didn’t _get_ it the way Tío Luci did. He didn’t treat her like she was fragile or tiptoe around topics related to her mother, and he didn’t question or judge her new refusal to sing or write music. “We grieve in our own ways,” he told her softly, tucking her under his arm and holding her against his side as they sat in front of the grand piano in his penthouse. “One day, sooner than you might think, it won’t feel so wrong without her. Just... promise me you won’t give it up entirely, or your mother will have my head - and if she can’t remove it herself, she’ll just have one of our siblings do it for her.”

***********************************

It went on that way for a while, with Julie seeking her tío out for comfort, telling her father she was going to Flynn’s and then catching a bus for her tío’s club instead. She always checked beforehand to make sure she could come over. He always said yes.

Then, on a night about three and a half months after Julie’s mamá died, it was her uncle who called _her_ for comfort. A woman he’d been fond of - a woman he’d worked with and helped to pursue a music career - had been shot in front of the club as he hugged her goodbye; she’d died almost instantly, which was a very small mercy. Tío Luci had caught up with her killer before he died. ‘Why else? Money,’ he’d told her uncle when he asked why the man had killed his friend. By the time Julie got over to Lux, the police had come and gone, but her tío was still clearly (at least to Julie) shaken. In a way, it made sense; Lucifer was used to losing family by now. The concept of having a real friend, someone who liked him for himself, was more or less foreign to him - much less the pain of losing one.

They sat in silence for a while after he told Julie what had happened. Finally, her tío spoke: “I don’t understand. I don’t understand how humans can end each other’s lives, just for money. I don’t think I ever _will_ understand.”

Bumping her shoulder companionably against her uncle’s, Julie confessed, “I’m pretty sure most humans, including me, don’t get it either. I think the only people who understand that kind of thing are the people who’d do it in the first place. So, what about that lady detective, huh? She seems cool.”

She couldn’t help but smirk to herself when Tío Luci texted her the next day, gushing about how he’d known he knew the detective from somewhere and how he’d met her kid and her ex-husband (the ex was kind of an asshole, but the kid was okay, according to Lucifer) and they were solving his friend Delilah’s murder together. Julie just hoped that this friendship lasted longer - and ended better - than her uncle’s friendship with Delilah.

(She also couldn’t help but facepalm and groan when, about a month after he started working with the LAPD, she got a text from her tío that read, ‘ _She shot me. In the leg. Don’t worry, I asked her to. It hurt. I bled. Details to follow._ ’ Julie raised her eyes to the ceiling. “You know, for an all-knowing, all-powerful being, You produced some dumbasses. Tío Luci is _so_ lucky that he’s handsome and musically talented, because I swear, I think he’s been on his last brain cell for a while now.”

***********************************

It turned out that her uncle lost his usual invulnerability around the detective, for reasons unknown to him or Maze. Tío Luci, demonstrating his almost complete lack of good sense, was downright _giddy_ about the potential danger - so giddy that he’d managed to insert himself into the middle of a gang war and only escaped unharmed thanks to Maze.

Julie shook her head at her tío’s dramatic retelling of the story, then paused for a moment before asking, “What’s up with Maze, anyway? She seems... kinda suspicious. Like, shiftier than usual.”

Her uncle seemed surprised at the question. “Really? I hadn’t noticed.”

”You were a little busy trying to get yourself shot again,” Julie pointed out dryly, “just... maybe keep a closer eye on her. Now, on to bigger and better things.” She held up her open laptop. “Movie time. What are we watching - Moana, Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog, Sweeney Todd, or The Greatest Showman?”

”What’s that last one about?”

Julie showed him the movie synopsis and offered, “It’s kind of a romanticized, family-friendly movie musical about how P. T. Barnum started his circus. The music is really good. And Zac Efron is in it.”

Her tío frowned. “The young man from those dreadful High School Musical films you made me watch all those years ago?” he asked skeptically.

”I know, I know. But he’s really good in this one!”

With a theatrical sigh, Tío Luci declared, “Better the devil you know, I suppose. I’ll give it a chance.” Hiding a smirk, Julie curled up on the couch next to him, setting her laptop down on the coffee table and starting the movie.

**********************************

A little way into the film, Tío Luci leaned over and whispered, “You know, I knew Phineas T. Barnum personally.”

Interested, Julie propped herself up on her elbow and paused the movie. “Really? What was he like?”

Her tío laughed. “Oh, he was quite the scoundrel - the film got that much correct. And charming; he could charm the socks off most anyone. Not nearly as good-looking as they’re giving him credit for, though,” he told her with a sly wink.

With a giggle, Julie reached over to unpause the movie, but she was startled by an irritated and unfamiliar female voice from the direction of the elevator.

“Lucifer, come on; there’s a case,” the woman called, “I know I should’ve called ahead, but you weren’t answering calls _or_ texts, so I came by to get you. Patrick told me you had company, so I’m sorry if I’m interrupting, but...” She trailed off as Julie leaned around her tío to get a better look at the speaker (who turned out to be a very petite blonde woman with lovely green eyes, but something about her told Julie that she was tough, too). “Lucifer.” Her voice went dangerously low and flat. “Why is there an underage girl on your couch?”

Uncle and niece looked first at each other, then back at the visitor, with matching expressions of pure disgust.

“Don’t even suggest such a thing, Detective. And I would like to believe you know me well enough to know that all of my lovers are consenting and of age,” Lucifer shuddered.

With a start, Julie realized, “You must be Detective Decker, then. My uncle never shuts up about you.”

The detective glanced back at Lucifer. “Uncle?!”

”Detective, may I introduce my niece, Juliana? She’s the daughter of my late sister; Rose is also survived by her husband and sister, and a son as well, but I was only ever introduced to Julie. Her mother was the one who instated the tradition of Sunday afternoon visits. Since I’ve returned to Los Angeles, Julie has seen fit to keep it up in her stead,” Tío Luci told his partner, aiming a smile at his niece. “And like her mother, she’s a very talented musician. But you mentioned a case - my dear, if you don’t mind...”

Julie waved him off with a genuine smile. It was nice to know he had someone else in his life who both genuinely cared for him and was able to resist his magnetism. “We can finish up the movie next week, or rewatch it from the beginning. Public safety first. Detective Decker, it was really nice to meet you. You’re more than welcome to join us next Sunday; feel free to bring your daughter, too. Trixie, right? Tío Luci tells me she’s pretty cool - well, he said ‘acceptable’, but when he’s talking about a kid, that’s a big compliment. Good luck with your case!” she told them.

The detective looked a little taken aback, and she protested, “I don’t want to interrupt your time with your uncle...”

”You won’t,” Julie replied firmly, “Sundays are for church and family, that’s what my mamá told me. You’ve met me, and it went well. You care about my tío. As far as I’m concerned, that makes you family.”

She grinned at Detective Decker’s surprised expression. “Excuse me, guys. You need to catch a criminal, and I need to catch a bus.”


	3. Try Listening With Your Heart

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Boys are confused and slightly annoyed by this turn of events. 
> 
> Julie is confused and slightly annoyed right back, with a side of panic; her uncle isn’t available for advice or ghost extermination due to being framed for murder, so she makes do. Also, she’s going to punch the next person who gives her their condolences.
> 
> Lucifer has bigger fish to fry than a few dead guys, but he’s the Lightbringer, so of course he knows when Julie gets her spark back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter title from another Terri Guillemets quote: “If you have trouble hearing an angel’s song with your ears, try listening with your heart.”

On one hand, yes, Julie probably should have called her tío when three strange guys popped up in her mamá’s old studio out of nowhere; on the other hand, he was currently being hunted by the LAPD for escaping the scene of a murder Julie was absolutely certain he didn’t commit, and Detective Decker was definitely smart enough to track him down if he showed up at Julie’s house. That, and she would _not_ have been able to escape questioning from her dad and/or Carlos, and she wasn’t about to introduce them to Tío Luci while he was running from the law.

Instead, she worked with what she had - her brain, a cross from her bedroom wall, her trusty cell phone, and her new best friend, Google (sorry, Flynn). These led her to the conclusion that the three strange guys were, in fact, three strange twenty-five-year-old seventeen-year-old ghosts, and that Carlos couldn’t see them.

” _¡H_ _ijo de la gran puta!_ ” Julie swore, then winced. “Didn’t mean that. Sorry.” She was definitely on the verge of a major freak-out. Was this the angel powers - nephilim powers - Tío Luci had talked about finally deciding to manifest themselves? She remembered him telling her that her powers would only grow with time; would this get worse? Would she still be able to live a normal human life? Why couldn’t Carlos see the ghosts? Had his abilities just not kicked in yet?

Her head spun, and she pressed her hands to her temples as if that would stop the dizziness. “You are _so_ not getting that wish for a normal sister, buddy,” she informed Carlos, who had already gone back inside. With a groan, she turned her attention to the ghosts. “You’re going to stay here until I get back from dinner, and then we’ll... talk. Don’t follow me.” She slammed the studio door behind her and retreated into her nice, safe house to eat a nice, boring dinner.

Needless to say, it did not go as planned. Her quality spaghetti time was interrupted first by her Tía Victoria - and how the heck her mamá had a human family when she was an _angel_ was incredibly confusing to Julie - and then twice by ghosts. Julie honestly didn’t know which was more nerve-wracking. At least the sudden loud rock music from the garage gave her an out so she didn’t have to tell her dad that she’d been kicked out of the school’s music program, partly because of her inability to play music since her mother’s death and partly because her ex-friend had kicked up a fuss about that.

(Julie really wasn’t supposed to know that last part, but she’d figured it out pretty fast anyway. Flynn always said that if adults didn’t want them to know stuff, they should hide it better; this both confirmed Julie’s suspicion that she would get along a little too well with Maze and cemented her belief that the two of them should never, _ever_ meet.)

After a very tense conversation with the spectral weirdos, a _very_ tense conversation with her dad that she really had to apologize to him about later, and another, slightly less tense, conversation with said weirdos, Julie caved to the three sets of puppy-dog eyes and told the ghost boys that they could stay in the studio for the time being. She was still tempted to take back the offer if they said ‘sorry for your loss’ one more time. Words could not describe how much she had grown to hate that expression over the past year.

***********************************

The next morning, before she did anything else, Julie called Tío Luci. He didn’t pick up, so she just left a message and got ready for school. Then, feeling a little uneasy about it, she went out to the studio.

She sighed when she saw no sign of the ghost boys. She wasn’t sure if it was a sigh of disappointment or relief - she was curious about them, but she also didn’t want an audience for what she was thinking about doing. Especially not an audience that seemed to have the same social grace as her tío and not even _close_ to the amount of charm that enabled him to get away with it.

The sheet music still sat on top of the piano, just like the ghost in the sleeveless shirt had told her. Julie closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and sat down. She opened the lid to the piano along with her eyes and positioned her fingers on the keys. After a moment’s hesitation, she began to play. “Here’s one thing I want you to know: you got someplace to go...”

As she read and sang the words, she could almost feel her mother’s spirit - the studio, the piano, the music, Julie herself, all bursting with the energy and pure love her mamá infused into everything around her. This was her mother’s last and greatest gift to her: the real final words she’d never gotten to say to her daughter.

”And you use your pain, ‘cause it makes you _you_ ,” Julie continued, tears coming to her eyes, “though I wish I could hold you through it. I know it’s not the same; you got living to do, and I just want you to do it - so get up, get out, relight that spark; you know the rest by heart.” And she truly did. Her fingers dancing over the same keys her mother had played, she raised her eyes heavenward and let the song well up inside her and spill out for the whole world to hear. (And if maybe, just maybe, meteorologists all over the Los Angeles area were baffled by the fact that the sun appeared to rise twenty-three minutes ahead of schedule, well. Stranger things had happened.)

Not so far away, Lucifer looked up at the morning sky and smiled. His beloved niece had gotten her fire back - with interest, it would seem.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is kind of a short chapter, compared to the others, but I really wanted to get another chapter in before Christmas eats my brain, and my muse decided to cooperate. Imagine that.
> 
> “Hijo de la gran puta” literally means “son of the great whore”, and refers to the Devil. It’s used as a curse in Spanish and is sometimes shortened to “hijo de puta”, or “son of a whore”.


	4. If I Got Rid of My Demons

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> *raises my voice and speaks into the void* Hey there, folks, it's me... ya girl. Just thought you should know I'm back on my bullshit. Okay, bye. Love you too. Okay. Thanks. Bye.
> 
> In other news, things get worse before they get better for Julie, and Lucifer is having what you might call a hell of a time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Title from a quote by Tennessee Williams: "If I got rid of my demons, I'd lose my angels."

Somehow, the fact that Flynn couldn't see the ghost boys (who were _definitely not lurking outside the studio like some kind of supernatural creepers, why would you even think that, Julie?_ ) was what really drove home for Julie that this situation was directly connected to her angelic blood, and that hiding her new abilities was going to be a lot trickier than she'd first realized.

Her papá, her tía, even Carlos - she hadn't really expected them to be able to see her new acquaintances; Dad and Tía Victoria were as human as a person could get, and Carlos had never really been introduced to the supernatural the way Julie had. But Flynn was basically Julie's platonic soulmate, the person who understood her better than anyone except her uncle. She'd half expected Flynn to be able to see the ghosts too. Not that her friend's blind spot would make it any easier to keep her heritage secret - Julie had inherited her uncle's aversion to lying, and to top it off, she was _bad_ at it. She could sometimes fool her father or Tía Victoria; occasionally, she could convince Carlos. But it was impossible to lie to Flynn. Their close bond meant that Flynn always, _always_ knew when Julie wasn't telling her the truth, and for the most part, Julie had given up trying.

Some things, though, she didn't know how to even _begin_ to bring up. The three ghosts now inhabiting her mom's studio fell into that very small category.

Thank the stars for Flynn being over-caffeinated and easily distracted; once Julie got her going, all she talked about on the drive to school was the possibility of her best friend rejoining the music program. Her enthusiasm was so infectious that it almost made Julie believe she had a chance. Of course, Julie's luck being what it was, the program had already filled her spot with a freshman who played the cello. Disappointed and embarrassed by the rejection, she barely resisted the urge to bang her head against her locker door. What good were these weird powers of hers if all they did was make her look and feel insane?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Julie's day did not improve from there, and by the time she got home, she was in a terrible mood. All she wanted to do was go to her room and hide under the covers for the rest of the afternoon. She wasn't even sure if dinner would be able to tempt her to get up; her bed was so warm and soft, and was pretty much the only stable and comforting thing in her life right now besides Flynn.

Her plans for lying in bed with Netflix and wallowing in self-pity were interrupted the second she opened the door to her room and saw her three new least favorite people _going through her stuff_ \- and what if they found something about her mom's identity, or her uncle's, and left it where Carlos or her dad might see it? She'd be looking at taking an unplanned vacation in a hospital - or an asylum. _Shit!_ " _What are you guys doing in my room?_ " she demanded in a hiss that would've made Maze proud.

Eyes wide and his hands still outstretched to open her dream box, the one she thought might be named Luke tried, "We were looking for the kitchen?"

Julie groaned. Yes , she was furious, but she also really, _really_ did not have enough spoons left to be able to deal with this. She flopped down on her bed face-first, not caring that she went right through the skinny one's arm and leg, and shoved a pillow over her head. Unfortunately, she could still hear it when maybe-Luke asked, "What's in the box, Julie?"

"Stop talking," she complained, "I'm trying to pretend that all of you don't exist, and also that _I_ don't exist, and you're making it way harder by talking to me."

She felt the bed dip down next to her hip on the side opposite where the skinny ghost was lying. The corner of her pillow lifted slightly. "Do you- do you wanna talk about it?" the blond ghost asked cautiously.

Julie sighed and admitted, "Not really, but I can't talk to the one person who always makes me feel better, so I guess maybe I _should_ talk to you about it." She took the pillow off her head and sat up. "Hang on a sec, I'm gonna grab my pajamas and go change, and then we can talk."

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After she returned, she didn't really know what to say, so they all sat in awkward silence. Finally, Julie blurted, "They already replaced me. In the music program. There's this freshman who plays the cello, and he got my spot. I asked for my spot back today, and that's when I found out. Flynn was so excited... she really thought I had a chance, after I was able to play again this morning... I shouldn't have gotten my hopes up. And normally, I'd call my uncle - my mom's best friend; my dad and my brother and my aunt would probably think he's crazy, which is why they don't know that he exists, and I'd like to keep it that way - but he's currently running from the LAPD in an ongoing manhunt because of a murder he definitely didn't commit, and his brother has been trying to get him to go back to a place he hates and carry out his 'responsibilities' for the family; his brother saved the life of the guy who _actually_ committed the murder, meaning that all this is indirectly his fault, and he went to both my uncle's therapist _and_ his bodyguard behind his back to try to make him go back. Also, my uncle's best friend is a detective with the LAPD, and both she and her ex-husband are participating in the manhunt. My uncle is super hurt that she thinks he actually murdered this guy, and he's trying to set things right before he goes back, and... I just really hope he's going to be okay. He said he'd call me when it's all over, but he still hasn't called, and I'm just..." Julie dropped back against her pillows. "I'm fine. Everything's fine."

The skinny ghost stared at her. "Do you need a hug?" he asked in a stage-whisper.

Maybe-Luke poked him in the arm and pointed out, "Reggie, you _can't_ hug her, remember?"

"I could _try_ ," Reggie pouted. He looked so put-out that Julie felt kind of sorry for him.

"It's okay. My tío will be fine, and it's my own fault for getting my hopes up too much about the music program anyway."

The blond guy looked outraged on her behalf. "No, it's not! You're amazing! We heard you this morning; you _deserve_ that spot!"

"So, you were there, too?"

"Alex!" maybe-Luke hissed, swatting him on the shoulder.

"It's okay," Julie sighed, "I knew you guys were there. You're not exactly stealthy." She rolled over and pressed her face into her pillow. "Why is everything so complicated?" she whined.

Her phone started to play _Clair de Lune_ , saving her from having to answer any questions the ghost boys might have had. Eagerly, she picked it up. "Tío Luci! Are you okay? What happened? Is Detective Decker all right?"

When her uncle replied, he sounded ancient and tired in a way he very rarely did. "It's over," he told her, "Malcolm Graham is dead and back in Hell where he belongs. Amenadiel got stabbed, but Maze was able to heal him. Detective Douche has been arrested for conspiracy to commit murder; the Detective is all right, but shaken, and so is her spawn. Maze has gone on vacation to clear her head a bit - she believed my and Amenadiel's treatment of her was unfair, and looking back on it, I'm inclined to agree. Linda is a bit cranky with my brother, but otherwise unharmed. I took a bullet for the Detective and briefly died. My Father, however, barred my way back into Hell. There's only one entity in existence that he would need me to deal with, so much so that he would prevent my return to my duties."

"Your Mother," Julie whispered.

Tío Luci sighed into his phone, "Yes. Mum. So now I - and Amenadiel, I think - are going to have to contend with her presence; she's Dad-knows-where and probably wreaking havoc already. As soon as I have anything to go on, I'll have to track her down. But I thought I'd take a moment and let you know that everyone is all right."

"Thanks, Tío Luci. Be safe. _Te amo, portador de luz_."

" _Te amo también, Juliana._ "

Her uncle hung up with a beep. He never, ever told her that he loved her. _Ever_. Julie fought back the tears that were threatening to fall; crying wasn't going to help anybody, and it always gave her a headache. The ghost boys hovered around her looking concerned. "It's okay," she murmured, trying for a smile. "So, anyway - that box over there is my dream box. When I have a good thought, I write it down and get it out of my head, and I put it in the box. The box keeps it all safe. I'd really prefer it if you didn't go in there, though; it's kind of personal."

"What kinds of stuff do you write?" maybe-Luke asked curiously, "Like, lyrics?"

That hurt her heart to even think about. "They would be, if I still wrote music. It was- it was something I used to do with my mom. I haven't even _tried_ since... well, since last year. There's some other stuff in there, too - important stuff, and I don't want it to get messed up or broken, so _stay out_."

Maybe-Luke let out an awkward little laugh. "Oh, okay. _Girl stuff._ "

"Ohhh, like butterflies and glitter," Reggie commented, nodding sagely. He was so easily distracted it almost wasn't funny. In some ways, it reminded Julie of her uncle.

She crossed her arms and gave the boys her best impression of Chloe Decker's devastating _I-am-very-disappointed-in-you-and-also-judging-you-for-being-such-a-complete-dumbass_ look. Judging from the ghosts' lack of anything resembling fear or shame, that one still needed some work. (Also, the pajamas probably made it less effective.)

Alex looked like he'd rather be anywhere but in a room with the other two boys. He protested, "Oh, come _on_ \- I am _sorry_ about them."

Julie resisted the urge to point out that he, too, was invading her space, instead electing to tell maybe-Luke, "It's none of your business!" And then, because Reggie looked like a kicked puppy, "And yes, there might be _some_ glitter." He perked right back up. Before any of the ghost boys could say anything else, Julie held up a hand for silence. "I'm going to rewatch Season One of _Stranger Things_ because my day has royally _sucked_. If you're quiet and you stay out of my stuff, you can watch with me."

They stayed silent for as long as it took for her to dig her laptop out of her backpack and log into Netflix. Then, very timidly, Reggie raised his hand and asked, "Julie? What's _Stranger Things_?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really do love the first two seasons of Stranger Things. The third was way too much body horror for me, thanks ever so, and therefore I am living in denial that it happened.
> 
> On a more writing-related note: Hoo, boy! When the holidays ate my brain, they REALLY ate my brain! Sorry it took so long to get this chapter posted; I put off revising it for way too long. Fortunately, the next chapter is already in progress, so you shouldn't have to wait another whole damn month to read it. Thanks for sticking with me!


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